Noodles & Company is celebrating Employee Appreciation Day, March 3, a day early by offering all restaurant workers, not just their own, a free bowl of noodles on March 2.
Any restaurant worker who comes to a Noodles & Company location in uniform between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. local time will get a meal worth up to $13.
"This offer is our way of giving back to all those who make good food moments possible.” Noodles & Company chief marketing officer Stacey Pool said in a press release announcing the offer. “It doesn't matter if you work at a big restaurant or small, or in the front of the house or back, we're offering free bowls of Noodles for all to take a break and experience what Noodles has to offer. We have the highest regard for our team members, and we are committed to putting our people first, which is why we wanted to find an uncommonly good way to extend that mission beyond our team members."
Noodles & Company, a fast-casual brand based in Broomfield, Colo., with more than 460 restaurants, prides itself on its employee benefit package, which includes stock in the company for qualifying managers, reimbursement for expenses related to immigration, mental health programs, training in managing personal finances, paid time off, and reimbursement for expenses related to mental, financial, and physical well-being (including things such as gym membership or house-cleaning), among other benefits.
Noodles also has two support networks for its LGBTQ+ and BIPOC employees.
In an opinion piece for Nation’s Restaurant News, Noodles & Company CEO Dave Boennighausen said he was continuing to work to improve benefits for his employees.
“[W]hile I’m proud of what we’ve done, both at Noodles & Company and in the industry, I also recognize that there is always more we can do, and we are constantly listening to our team members and looking for ways to do more,” he said.
This is not the first time Noodles has offered benefits to non-employees. In January, as part of Mental Wellness Month, the chain offered up to $1 million in online therapy for its customers in partnership with BetterHelp.
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected]